A data science professional with a multifaceted experience. Corporate leader, academician, mentor, trainer and lifelong learner.
Amar’s corporate experience of over 20 years is spread across various leading financial services corporations. He has helped in setting up strong offshore analytic teams – completely integrated with host organizations, managing a multi-cultural environment. His experience spans all the aspects in a consulting organization and across all the analytic functions. Amar has trained working executives from over twenty companies in the areas of business analytics, AI, customer centricity, business intelligence, sales analytics, research, and statistics. As an academician, he has taught at many leading business schools too.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amarsaxenaanalytics/
X.Com (Twitter): amarsaxena
Q. How has been your journey from IIFM so far?
A. I got placed in BILT from campus. However, I opted to continue my studies – and joined IIM Ahmedabad for the Fellow Program. I worked in the industry for around 19 years, before moving to academia. Over the last 8 years, I have had the good fortune of teaching at many leading management schools. I teach the areas relating to my work experience – data science, marketing and research.
I have had the privilege of teaching at leading management schools, viz, IIFM Bhopal, IIMs at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Jammu, Amritsar, and Udaipur, IMT-Ghaziabad, IRMA, IFMR at Krea University, Masters Union, Nirma University and SP Jain Global School of Management.
Q. What were some of the key milestones/learning in this journey that you would like to share with us?
A. A couple of milestones. The first one was when I moved from the market research industry to data science – way back in 2000. The second one was when I started leading a group – this was in 2009. And the 3rd milestone would be 2016 – when I moved to academia.
Q. How has been your experience in your current Organization? What all areas have you been working here?
A. I am part of Maharashtra State Skills University – a new public university started in 2022. It is always so interesting and exciting to see a new organization starting to take roots and prosper. Have had the good fortune of being involved with new teams a few times in my career.
Q. What is the most satisfying part in your career?
A. A couple of them. In my corporate career, the years at TCS were definitely very satisfying. I was given the complete responsibility to start a new team. Built it into a strong 200-member team. Terrific learning years.
The second has to be from academia. Getting rated 4.75 on a 5-point scale for my marketing analytics course was definitely very satisfying.
Q. Has your learning at IIFM helped in shaping how you approach your professional roles?
A. In so many ways. This was my first orientation to the fascinating field of management education. And it has remained with me ever since.
The curriculum at IIFM is so much experiential oriented – and each experience is unique in its own way. Getting a glimpse of the world of forest services was great. The organizational trainings (now called SI & Project Work) that followed were wonderful experience again.
And of course, the biggest learning of them all – it exposed me to the field of environment and forestry. This added to my personality and has made me a better professional.
Q. Who (or what) are the biggest influences or drivers in your careers?
A. Prof Vinay Luthra from IIFM was definitely a great influence in my career. Prof BP Pethiya also helped me in his own way. Later Prof PK Biswas gave me an opportunity to develop my academic credentials.
Q. What would be your advice to freshers and IIFM graduates who are looking to choose similar sectors/roles.
A. Similar sectors/ roles are incidental. The truth about professional life is same across all fields. And they are surprising. It is not your knowledge that matters – it is what you do with that knowledge that matters.
This directly eludes to the softer skills – which are way more important than the technical skills.
The most critical soft skills? Your attitude and your thinking ability.
And right behind them is your communication ability. The other critical element is your networking capability.
Q. How did you decide to go for higher studies post IIFM? And how was the experience?
A. I found the role of a consultant to be very good. I am a person who likes to keep on trying new things – keep learning new areas. And I found consultancy to be an area where there is new learning in every project and engagement. Couple this with my interest in research – and the post-IIFM plan was formulated.
Q. What are your favorite memories during your IIFM days?
A. Lots of memories. I conducted a quiz in the first term – it was the first time I had ever done it. This event gave me a lot of confidence. I managed many other events afterwards.
The restaurant. The cricket matches. Special food in the mess. Field trips over the weekend. The 3-day field visit to Betul and Hoshangabad.
Q. In hindsight, what was the biggest contribution or take away from IIFM that you think played a critical role in shaping you as an individual or professional?
A. I did my second organization training with SIDA in Orissa. My colleague was Harihar Nath. This period changed my entire life. I was influenced by Hari and his thoughts – and it helped me tremendously.
Q. As an alumni, what’s your advice to freshers or those are joining IIFM to get best out of the 2 years there?
A. Develop a positive attitude. The three most important words are actually very simple ones – “come what may”.
The beauty of these words is that you place them at the end of any sentence, and the meaning of that sentence changes. This is attitude.
Q. Also what would be your advise for recent graduates who look for changing their sector after working for couple of years?
A. The world around us is changing rapidly. No one knows what the world will look like after 5 years. Ask yourself everyday if you have developed. Do you have your personal learning plan? How many hours are you devoting to your own development? Do you have a positive attitude? And be flexible. Do not be fixated with any thought/ idea.
I always try to explore and take up any teaching opportunity. This gives me a varied exposure – making me a better professional. I learn something new at each place. E.g. I recently taught at IRMA. They have a heavy focus on qualitative research. An area a bit alien to a quantitative person like me. So, this was a learning. I believe there is learning all around you – you just have to recognize it. And this can only happen when you think and ruminate over what is happening around you.
Q. What was your typical day at the work? And how does it look like while you are on a break?
A. I do not consider myself to be a hard worker. I cannot work continuously for long hours. So, my work hours stretch well into the evening.
I love to travel. And have travelled extensively in India. My holidays are also very hectic – I develop my own itinerary.
Q. And how about weekends, hobbies, family and anything else you want to add?
A. In academia, weekends are no longer sacrosanct. During the week I am engaged with my university. And on the weekends, I teach at other places.
Other than this, weekends are for social activities. I am fortunate that my parents stay with me. So, I spend time with them. And also meet up friends.
And of course sports. I follow almost all the sports. This includes American Football and Baseball – which I picked up to be able to converse with my US clients and counterparts.
Q. Favorite Books, movies, authors?
A. There is a huge backlog of books that I have to read. Someday, sometime…
My favourite novel is Gone with the Wind. I have probably read it 5 or 6 times. I love the beautiful manner in which the character of Scarlett O’Hara has been developed. And it is a wonderful historical document – one of the very few documents that look at US Civil War from a Southerner’s perspective.
I love watching old movies – whether Bollywood and Hollywood.
Q. IIFM is driven by alumni’s passion and commitments towards its goal. How would you like to contribute to IIFM or IIFM alumni, students?
A. There are many many truly talented people who have graduated from IIFM. So IIFM is in very good hands. I am always ready to help – in whatever way I can.
One thing great about IIFM is the extremely strong bond between the alumni and the institute.
Q. Any suggestions on who you want to get profiled/interviewed here?
A. Jayanti from my batch. She is based in Bhopal, and working at ASA. Also Harihar Nath from my batch. He has worked at Oracle and Facebook in past and now at SF BART managing their data analytics.